Identification device for key rings or chains and the like



Feb. 23, 1943. F. WEINDEL, JR

IDENTIFICATION DEVICE FOR KEY RINGS OR CHAINS AND THE LIKE Vlrll.

Filed July 9, 1940 lie I lr4 ifI;

Fred Windel, Ji?, BY w fm ATTORNEYS".

Patented Feb. 23, 1943 IDENTIFICATION DEVICE FOR KEY RINGS OR. CHAINS AND ATHE LIKE Fred Weindel, Jr., Allentown, Pa., assignor to L. F.

Grammes & Sons, Inc., Allentown, Pa., a corporation oi' Maryland Application July 9, 1940, Serial No. 344,474

1 Claim.

This inventionvrelates to identification devices useful in connection with key rings or chains and the like, and has for its chief aim the provision of a simple and inexpensive device of the character described which is easily and quickly attachable to, or removable from, a ring or chain without the intermediary of a separate or special securing means, and which lends itself to ready manufacture in quantity at small cost.

As hereinafter more fully disclosed, my improved identication device includes a hollow holder component and a data-bearing insert component, which have registrable apertures for passage of the key ring or chain through them so as to be normally held assembled with each other and with said ring or chain.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawing, wherein Fig. 1 shows a key ring in association with an identification device conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows the identification device with the data-bearing insert component removed therefrom.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken as indicated respectively by the angled arrows III- III and IV-IV in Fig. 1; and

Fig. shows a blank from which the holder component of the device is formed.

As herein exemplified, my improved identification device includes a holder component I which is of flat elongate configuration, rounded at its upper end as at 2. In its opposite side walls 3 and 4 adjacent the top, the holder component is provided with aligned apertures 5 for passage through it of the key ring, which, in the present instance, is in the form of a flexible ball chain 5 whereof the ends are releasably united by a snap link 1. The device further includes a flat insert component 8 which is configured to fit into the holder component I as shown Iin Figs. 3 and 4, and which ls also provided at its upper end With an aperture 9 capable of registry with the apertures 5 of said holder component. likewise for passage of the chain 6 through it. It will be accordingly seen that the components I and 8 are normally held assembled with each other and with the chain 6 without necessitating the use of an additional or special securingr means.

While within the scope of the appended claim the holder component I may be otherwise shaped and formed, for the sake of manufacturing economy, I prefer to fashion it from a sheet metal blank outlined as shown in Fig. 5 and provided along opposite side edges with laterally turned flanges I0 and II, whereof the latter flange is continued as at I2 about the rounded top I3 of the corresponding half I4 of said blank. When the blank is folded about its longitudinal medial indicated by the dotted line a-a in Fig. 5, the side flanges I0 and II are brought into opposed relation as shown at I5 in Fig. 4, and the rounded continuation I2 of the flange II caused to overlap the plain rounded top edge I6 of the other half I1 of the blank as shown at I8 in Fig. 3. The hollow of the holder is thereby closed all around except at the bottom. The insert component is preferably likewise stamped from sheet metal or the like. Upon one or both sides, the holder component I may bear directions such as indicated in Fig. 1, while the insert component may have inscribed upon it further instructions such as indicated in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

As a new article of manufacture, an identification device for key rings or chains comprising a flat elongate tubular sheath component which is closed at one end and at that end has aligned apertures in its flat side walls, said sheath component being produced from an elongate blank oi sheet material having complemental lobes to opposite sides of a longitudinal medial line about which the blank is folded, said lobes being correspondingly perforated to provide the aligned apertures, one lobe having a continuous outstanding flange which extends along its side edge and across is top, and the other lobe having a flange along its side edge only, which, when the blank is folded, is overlapped by the side edge portion of the flange on the first lobe; and a removable data-bearing component also of sheet material shaped to t within the sheath component and having an aperture at its top end for registry with the aligned apertures in the walls of the sheath component, through which several apertures the key ring or chain is adapted to be passed to hold the two components of the device assembled.

FRED WEINDEL, JR. 

